San Diego County is launching a legal defense program that will provide free representation to immigrants going through deportation proceedings. It’s an initiative immigration advocates have also been hoping to implement in Pima County.

Unlike in criminal court, legal representation in immigration court is not guaranteed by U.S. law. San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said eight out of 10 people facing deportation there cannot afford a lawyer. San Diego County’s program will change that by providing immigrants facing deportation with free consul through contracts within its Public Defender’s Office.

It’s the first program of its kind in the county. Mo Goldman is an immigration attorney in Tucson who takes on deportation cases for clients like DACA recipients, asylum seekers and other immigrants in Arizona, often pro bono. 

"There are a huge number of people that I will see in court, sitting outside without legal representation," he said. "There are not many lawyers out there doing this, We are overwhelmed, and it’s getting worse and worse with the current environment, with Ukraine and Afghanistan, the immigration system is needing more and more legal assistance and legal representatives."

Goldman says even with a lawyer, these cases are long and often unsuccessful. Outcomes are also dependent on the court and presiding judge cases are assigned. Without representation, success rates plummet.

A report by the Syracuse University-based research group TRAC showed of nearly 16,700 immigration cases filed in Arizona as of March, just under 10,000 had legal representation. The odds of having representation drops down to below 10% for cases filed in the first three months of this year.

This year, advocates in Pima County are asking voters to support Justice For All, a ballot initiative that would implement a similar program to the one in San Diego.